Pixel Bug

KALIKASAN (Nature)

Napakayaman ng ating bansa sa yaman ng kalikasan. Tuwing ako ay dadalaw sa iba’t ibang lugar sa Pilipinas ay namamangha ako sa ganda ng ating bansa.

Isa sa mga paboritong kong kunin tuwing ako ay maglalakbay ay ang kalikasan. Tulad nitong unang larawan, ito ay kuha sa Malcapuya Island sa Palawan.

Heto naman ay sa Palawan din, sa Kayangan Lake, Coron.

At eto ay kuha 100feet above ground, nung minsang nagkaroon ako ng lakas ng loob na sumakay sa Canopy Lift Ride sa Subic Tree Top Adeventure.

(Our country is rich natural resources. Every time I visit any part of the country, I am awed a the beauty of the Philippines.

One of my favorite subject, is to take shots of nature. Like this first picture which was taken in Malcapuya Island, Palawan.

This one is also in Palawan, Kayangan Lake in Coron.

And this photo was taken 100 feet above ground when I had the courage to ride the Canopy Lift Ride at Subic Tree Top Adventure.)

Coming home in the Philippines after having stayed in the State most of your life, you’d definitely want to see the country. And since my balikbayan cousin-in-law only had a few days to stay here we decided to bring her on a trip south of Manila.

The itinerary was a road trip to Laguna and Quezon. We visited a lot of wonderful places but for this week’s Pixelbug Weekend, I will feature the Sitio de Amor, the place we where we stayed. Sitio de Amor is part of the Viaje del Sol — featuring the tourist destinations of the south from San Pablo, Laguna to Quezon. It is a 4.5 hectare orchard between Mt. San Cristobal and Mt. Banahaw. If you are looking for a place to rest and just enthrall yourself to the beauty of nature, this place will surely entice you.

As you arrive, you are welcomed by their complimentary welcome drink — fresh coconut. Make sure to request that it be placed inside the fridge prior to your arrival.

One of the rooms we occupied had a refreshing view of the lagoon. The water from the lagoon comes from Balanga River. Waking up to such an amazing view will truly rejuvenate you — far from the hustle bustle of the city.

The main pavilion is perfect for  wedding receptions and other special occasions. As we were having breakfast, a young couple was there making sure the final arrangements for their upcoming reception are in place. Quite a romantic place, I might say especially during the night when all the lights are lit.

Aside from the room with a view of the lagoon, they also have a tree house which you can rent for PhP10,000/night. This could fit around 10 people. The other two rooms were beside each other, Duhat and Caimito which you can rent at PhP3,500 and PhP4,000 respectively.

For those who want to cool down, you can take a dip in their infinity pool. Just the thing for our summer climate.

Sitio de Amor Farm Resort
Km 88.8 Maharlika Highway
Barangay San Antonio 1
San Pablo City, Laguna

Prior reservations are required, you may call (02) 552-7340 and +63918- 9274346
Email: sitiodeamor@yahoo.com

Directions: Sitio de Amor is about 1 and a half hours from Manila. Take Maharlika Highway from South Superhiway heading towards Lucena. Take Maharlika Highway from South Superhiway heading towards Lucena — on your left side, and 3 kilometers before Villa Escudero. Turn left, it is about 600 meters in.

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As a child, I have memories of my family visiting Luneta Park or Rizal Park and even having my picture taken at that place. Luneta is where the monument of our national hero, Jose Rizal is located. As a Filipino, I just feel that my kids should visit the place to have a sense of nationalism.

Last Saturday, I decided to take them there. More than the reason above, it’s also an excuse for me to take photos for my photography class. Luneta has changed a lot the last time I was there. It’s actually a lot cleaner than I remembered.

The first photo is a picture of my son riding the Kalesa — a horse driven carriage introduced in the Philippines during the 18th century. It is no longer a popular form of transportation, you hardly see them in the Metro except for tourist spots like this. The kutsero or the kalesa driver was so friendly, he actually allowed my son to be the kutsero during our ride. It was truly an exciting experience for my ten year old.

My kids are never afraid of animals which is a good thing — they just love to caress and play with them. Here you can see them enjoying their time with the horse.

One good thing about trips like this is that I can see my kids enjoying each others company. And as a mom, it’s a joy to see them like that.

I would have wanted to catch the sunset by the bay, but my boy insisted to ride the train that was going around the park… How can I resist?

I just have to settle with this sunset photo….

It was quite a tiring day for me and the kids but it was all worth it. Seeing the smile on their faces, I know this weekend will be part of their childhood memories.

How about you? How did your weekend go?

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LITRATONG PINOY : MASINOP (NEAT)

Isa sa pinakapaborito kong desenyo sa bahay ay ang ZEN type of design. Napakasinop kasing tingnan. Walang masyadong maraming borloloy. Tulad na lamang ng desenyo nitong palikuran na ito. Minimal ang gamit at napakalinis tignan. Tunay na kaayaayang gamitin ang ganito kalinis na palikuran.

Sa totoo lang ang ZEN kasi ay hindi naman isang tipo ng desenyo ito ay isang pangkabuoang kalagayan ng kasarinlan o “state of mind”. Ang state of mind na ito ay nang-e-enganyo na maging calmado, mapayapa at bukas lagi ang isipan.  Kung saan ay pinapraktis ang pagiging mabait  di lamang sa kapwa tao kundi sa lahat ng nilikha ng Diyos. Mas madali da itong gawin kung ang tao ay mag me-meditate gamit zazen style kung saan ikaw ay nakaupo ng tahimik at sentro ang iyong paghinga.

Oo nga naman, paano ka naman makakapagisip nga maayos kung makalat ang iyong paligid. May puntos din itong ZEN na ito.

Ilan sa mga patnubay upang makamtan ang ZEN type of design ay maliwanag, walang “clutter”,  wala masyado abubot at bawasan ang pagamit ng kulay. Hmmmm? Sa mga nabanggit na iyan, mukang kaya ko lahat maliban lamang sa huli, kasi mahilig ako sa kulay.

(The ZEN type of design is one of my favorites. The neatness and the simplicity is what attracts me to it.  It has less decorations and clutter. Just like the design of this toilet, it’s simple and classy.  Truly inviting for anyone to use

The truth is ZEN is not a type of design, it’s a state of mind that encourage you to have a calm, clear and pure attitude towards life. It upholds one to practice kindness not only to the human race but to all creatures of the world. It’s easier to achieve this state of mind by meditating the zazen style, where you sit on a quiet place and focus on you breathing.

ZEN has a point there. I guess you really can’t concentrate if you have all these clutter around you.

One of the things in achieving a ZEN type of design is to have clear, free of clutter, lots of space, minimal ornaments and reduce the color palette. Hmmm, amongst those mentioned. I think I can do all except the last one, cause I really love color.)

Happy LP!

If there’s one thing that truly fascinates me is the scenic sunset. Every time we go out town, I wait for the sun to go down with my camera ready to click.
This one is shot in the middle of the sea, on our way to Coron proper from Malcapuya island. It was the perfect summer sunset.